adios april!

At the beginning of the year I made a wall calendar.  I thought that physically having class schedules, appointments, library book due dates, and social events written in front of my face would be helpful.  It has been.  

March was the first month since moving to Oregon that I hadn't flown anywhere and was all in all calm.  Then I flipped the calendar to April.  Our home was honored to host Josh's cousins from New Zealand (the first weekend) as well as my own dear Stacy Lane (the second weekend) from Indiana.  The third weekend I flew to Indiana to host family at a bridal shower for Alex and the four (final) weekend I had class and flew to Colorado to attend Whitney and Brice's marriage celebration.  As wonderful as all these events were there is a little leap in my stomach to know that it is now May and I made it through April.

Now, to reminisce.

That first weekend in April we took a walk in Forest Park with Adam and Aimee.

Forest Park is just outside of downtown Portland and it's eight miles, 5,100 acres, makes it one of the country's largest urban forest reserves.  It has about 70 miles of recreational trails including the Wildwood trail (inspiration for the Wildwood book series).

We took a little stroll on the Wildwood trail.

 Rachel, Josh & Eury, Aimee and Adam.  Eury was, of course, in love with her Kiwi cousins.

 The thing that surprised me the most was the vast amount of green even though the deciduous trees hadn't gotten their leaves.

 She also enjoyed the sticks.

 That's just were ferns grow here...much like the Fern I know in Michigan.

 Adam and Aimee are on that trail to give perspective to the size.

 (Am I the only one reminded of Star Wars in this image?)

 Eury had a picnic snack on the trail.

It was a beautiful walk.  I can't wait to visit the forest again this summer when its canopy is thick and cool.  It is supposed to hit 86F in a little sunny pre-summer heatwave we are having on the west coast.  But of course the rain will be back by the weekend.  Last night in class I was assured that even though it does get hot summers here are not a humid heat.  I think I'll just have to figure that one out for myself.  Today marks my seven month moving anniversary.